End of the brainteaser

by STJobs, 31/07/2013

Brainteaser interview questions offer no real insights into a job applicant’s suitability and instead make the interviewer feel superior.

According to recruiting expert Hays in Singapore, competency-based interviews are the tried-and-tested format, particularly with a manager who does not interview candidates every day. Employers are now shifting back to this style of interviewing.

This follows the admission by Google’s senior vice-president of people operations in a New York Times report dated June 19, that the company’s famous brainteaser interview questions did not work and would no longer be part of its interview process.

Employers have used these brainteaser questions to make their company stand out, rather than test the suitability of a candidate. Interviews should be as objective as possible and these brainteaser questions introduce too much scope for subjectivity.

A behavioural interview attempts to predict future behaviour based on a candidate’s past behaviour in a similar situation. Behavioural questions often being with, “Tell me about a time when…” or “Describe an occasion when…”

Questions are asked to establish various core competencies relevant to the role, such as teamwork, creativity and innovation, decision-making ability, business awareness or conflict resolution.

The interviewer is looking for examples of past behaviour that demonstrate these competencies. This type of interview is fairer, more transparent and can help organisations reduce the chance of making costly hiring mistakes.

Here is some advice for job seekers preparing for their next behavioural interview:

• Answer behavioural questions with one detailed and specific example that demonstrates your proven skills and ability to successfully perform the particular competency. This means you need to prepare your evidence in advance.

• To do this, gather as much information about the role as you can to determine the competencies required for success in the job.

• Then, review your past experiences and select examples that demonstrate these competencies. Consider past results, situations you handled well and ways you have contributed to the success of the business.

• Armed with this evidence, you should then use the STAR technique (Situation, Task, Action and Result) to answer questions:

— First, describe a situation you were in. For example, a colleague was struggling with performance;

— Next, tell them what you decided to do. For example, you sat with your colleague to discuss how you could help;

— Then, describe what you actually did. For example, you gave your colleague examples of how you improved your own performance; and

— Finally, tell them what happened as a result of your actions. For example, your performance improved 35 per cent.

• It is best to use an anecdote with a positive outcome, but if this is not possible, explain what you learnt from the situation and how you would do it differently next time.

Common behavioural interview questions include:

• Give me an example of when attention to detail was vital and how you completed the task accurately.

• Describe something you have done that was new for your organisation that improved the performance of your team or the value of the work done.

• Talk me through a time when you had to work towards a challenging, ambitious objective.

• Tell me about a time you had too many things to do and you needed to prioritise your tasks. How did you manage your time and objectives?

• What is your typical way of dealing with conflict? Give me an example of when you have had to use this approach with a difficult customer.

• Tell me about a situation where you have been part of a group working toward a specific goal. What was your role in the group?

• Describe how you led a team through a difficult project. How did you improve their work?

• On time-pressured assignments, how have you made sure that the job is done within budget?

Article by Chris Mead, regional director of Hays in Singapore and Malaysia. Hays is a leading recruiting expert in qualified, professional and skilled people. For more information, visit www.hays.com.sg